Environmental Services
Ecological Services
Ecology explores how living beings, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, interact with each other and with their physical surroundings. By understanding these relationships, we can assess the health of ecosystems, the impact of human activities, and the importance of biodiversity. Ultimately, ecology helps us comprehend the complex web of life that sustains our planet.
Ecological Services
Ecological services provide numerous benefits that are essential for sustaining life on Earth all of which contribute to the health of ecosystems. By supporting biodiversity, these services help maintain natural balance and a lasting strength against environmental changes. Ultimately, investing in ecological services promotes a healthier planet for future generations.
Agriculture - Case Studies
Agriculture: Soils Quality & Productivity
Develop a soils key to determine the Implications for Resource Development and Suitability for Agricultural Crops.
Agriculture: Modeled Agricultural Suitability
Modeled the potential of agricultural lands for new crop options under different climate change scenarios.
Agriculture: Berry Migration
Modeled the changes in the location and extent of berry crops to support Indigenous food security.
Forestry - Case Studies
Forestry: Management and Ecosystem Function
Explored the relationship between management and ecosystem function in the inland northwest forests (USA), boreal and coastal forests (western Canada) and Australia, including the effect of management and ecosystem function on wildlife/fish habitat suitability and the urban/wildlife interface.
Forestry: Linked basic research and applied research to develop science-based natural resource management options.
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Developed a baseline for forest function, which reflects the effects of past disturbances (e.g. insect, fire, and management) and current conditions to evaluate the consequences of current management options, and their subsequent effects on ecosystem resilience and integrity, including fish and wildlife values and multiple resource use. The baseline used readily obtainable data, such as from existing plot data, enabling it to be easily applied.
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Developed new, innovative methods to quantify ecosystem function, integrity and resilience, incorporating several aspects of the ecosystem (e.g. water, radiation, carbon uptake, etc.); assisted Region 1 with the development of measurement protocols to use the new methods.
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Determined to what extent management can mitigate the effects of reduced ecosystem function, particularly due to fire suppression, and thereby increase ecosystem integrity and resilience.
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Assessed effects of forest restoration treatments (e.g., thinning, prescribed fire) on forest integrity and resilience, stream flow and water quality, fuel build-up, and wildlife trends
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Identified easily measured sensitive indicators of forest function, and fish and wildlife habitat suitability indices, that was used to prioritize where and how much restoration treatment is needed to improve habitat quality and ecosystem health.
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Determining forest susceptibility to forest pests using a risk index based on the carbon balance.
The methods developed were used to quantify the physiological effects of management on forest stands by the National Forest Systems, The National Park System, and State and Private Forestry, and incorporated into process-based models of fuel loading (e.g. FIRESUM), successional state models (e.g. LANDSUM, SIMPPLLE), and population and habitat suitability models to predict trends in ecosystem function and habitat quality over time given different management scenarios and natural processes.
Restoration & Reclamation - Case Studies
Restoration & Reclamation: 404 Permitting for Gravel Pits on the North Slope
Developed reclamation plans for Major Oil Companies on the North Slope that have been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USFWS, and other agencies for compliance and consistency with the Clean Water Act, NEPA, APDES, and the Endangered Species Act. Worked as the liaison between the agency and company personnel to develop a plan that was acceptable to all involved parties. Reclamation includes overseeing the sculpturing of littoral shelves to develop shallow and deep-water habitats, selecting appropriate species (terrestrial and aquatic) for seeding or sprigging sites and supervising the field reclamation work and the monitoring of the site until performance standards are met.
Restoration & Reclamation: New Techniques for rehabilitating sites on the North Slope disturbed by Oil Development
Lead on two experimental projects to improve reclamation success on the North Slope.
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The first is a project to use sod for reclaiming disturbed sites and includes a test of sod viability after overwintering. Included development of SWPPP for the site.
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The second is the development of new soil amendments to statistically: a) improve seed germination, b) decrease water loss, c) improve biomass production, d) improve root to shoot ratios, and e) improve nutrient uptake.
Contaminated Sites: DoD Alaska Field Office
Supervised contractors to ensure Air Force site that were contaminated or had hazardous wastes present were cleaned-up and monitored according to federal environmental compliance requirements e.g. RCRA, DERP, EPA.
Ecosystem Biodiversity - Case Studies
Ecosystem Biodiversity: Biogeoclimatic Process Modeling
Used process based terrestrial models in scenario analysis to analysis the risks of human demisions and resource use and development to site hydrology, vegetation (forest, shrub, grassland), and soil quality, and how these impacts affect wildlife and fisheries populations and subsistence lifestyles. The model is linked to a hydrologic marine model to seamlessly model marine, shoreline and terrestrial interactions, given different management action, climate scenarios or both. The model was applied globally for climate impact and adaptation assessment, including developing methods to reduce the impact of a changing climate on structures (pipelines, buildings, etc.), hydrology (e.g. stream flow and water quality), agriculture, forestry, and marine and terrestrial wildlife habitats.
Ecosystem Biodiversity: Data Integration and Modeling
Provided risk assessments of alternative resource management scenarios, including the effects on wildlife habitats and populations, and the subsistence lifestyle. The model predicted shifts in both terrestrial and marine ecosystem processes, enabling the evaluation of a) alternative management actions, b) climate change, or c) both on sustainable management practices, wildlife populations, and subsistence activities.
Hydrology - Case Studies
Hydrology: Statistical Analysis of Hydrologic Functions, Alaska – Extractives Client
Completed statistical analysis of field data to predict flood water surface width and average main channel depth at bank for multiple years, and channel geometry attributes flow width, ordinary high water, bankfill width and bankfill depth.
Hydrology: Mining Company – China
Modelled water availability for mining needs for a remote area in China. It was found that there was not enough water for both the mining needs and needs of the local community. The mining company decided to truck in water, let the community use the water first, and use the grey water for mining. This decision created a strong positive relationship between the local community and the mining company.
Hydrology: Statistical Analysis of Hydrologic Functions, Alaska – Extractives Client
Completed statistical analysis of field data to predict flood water surface width and average main channel depth at bank for multiple years, and channel geometry attributes flow width, ordinary high water, bankfill width and bankfill depth.